Only in…Beijing

Four oddball things worth slowing down for in China's frenetic capital

March 1, 2013 2:26 p.m. ET

BEIJING IS a required stop for anyone traveling to Asia, but with a population edging close to 20 million, constant construction and interminable traffic jams, China's capital isn't the easiest of cities for visitors to penetrate. Yet for those willing to venture off the tourist track, Beijing can also be surprisingly intimate. From a tutorial in an ancient art to a stay at a newly converted tile factory, here is a quartet of ways to warm up to the city's culture.

Photos: What to Do in Beijing

Click to view slideshow Adam Dean for The Wall Street Journal

—Georgia Freedman

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North Korean dishes at the Pyongyang Restaurant
Adam Dean for The Wall Street Journal

1. Feast on outstanding kimchi at a restaurant run by the North Korean government.

North Korean cuisine might sound like an oxymoron to anyone familiar with the history of China's impoverished and reclusive neighbor. But in Beijing, the North Korean government runs a handful of popular restaurants, such as Pyongyang Restaurant, manned by waitresses who are said to train in North Korea for a full two years before being allowed to leave the homeland to serve bibimbap. The menu is in Chinese and Korean, but it also features photos of each dish. Everything from the delicate cold noodles made of yam starch to the flavorful grilled kalbi (short ribs) is as delicious as can be. 78 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District; 86-10-6503-5732

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The Chairman Suite at the Brickyard
Adam Dean for The Wall Street Journal

2. Do sun salutations at the foot of the Great Wall.

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The village of Mutianyu, just 90 minutes by car from downtown Beijing, boasts views of some of the most beautiful sections of the Great Wall. For years, tourists could only visit for the day, given the lack of hotels. In 2005, Jim Spear, an American who'd lived off and on in Beijing, began remodeling local houses for himself and other expats to use as weekend homes. Mr. Spear went on to open a restaurant and art gallery in an old schoolhouse. His latest project, the Brickyard, is a 25-room lodge overlooking the Great Wall. Visitors can explore the Wall or just hang out in the converted tile factory and take a yoga class, occasionally glancing up at the eighth wonder of the world. Rooms from $222; brickyardatmutianyu.com. Individual cottages can be booked through the Schoolhouse at Mutianyu; theschoolhouseatmutianyu.com

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Pearls at Hongqiao Market
Adam Dean for The Wall Street Journal

3. Design your own multi-strand pearl necklace.

Hongqiao Market is the city's go-to spot for pearls, offering everything from $10 necklaces to perfect Tahitian pearls priced at more than $200 apiece. The shops on the fifth floor offer the highest quality, but the best bargains come from the flea market-like stands on the floor below. Many of the pearls have been dyed, so be sure to ask about the quality (and bargain accordingly). Once you've found something you like, vendors will string your pearls to your preferred length, or even work with you to build a multistrand necklace of your own design. 46 Tiantan Dong Lu, Chongwen District; hongqiao-pearl-market.com

The China Culture Center offers classes in everything from making hand-pulled noodles to flying Chinese kites. Small group classes in Chinese classical painting as well as calligraphy are also on offer. The lessons begin with a short meditation and one-on-one instruction on the traditional strokes before the instructors lead the class through the intricacies of classical characters or a traditional bird and flower painting. Classes for up to five people from $160; Room 4916, Liangma Antique Market, 27 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District; chinaculturecenter.org

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